"They found peace and success internationally, and chose to come back and shine a light on their homes, and use their personal profiles to raise their communities." Seasoned talent manager George Issaias with some eagle-eyed insight on how internationally-recognised African artists are giving back to the continent from whence they came.

The death of longtime Cuban ruler Fidel Castro last month led to tributes for the larger-than-life revolutionary leader from all over the world. In Africa, from the African Union's headquarters in Addis Ababa to Harare and Pretoria, leaders praised Castro’s contribution to anti-colonial struggles on the continent.

Lagos-based poet and mental health specialist Dami Ajayi writes about Yaba Left and the journey of a disused railway building from being an asylum in the 1900s to becoming one of the biggest psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria today. He considers the scourge of mental illness in Lagos and the disparities between the perception of mental illness by mental health professionals and members of society at large.

There are elements of hip-hop that can be used to advance civic engagement and validate black lives. Tiisetso Tlelima attended the seventh edition of Black Portraitures, a trans-Atlantic indaba, and discovered more about the place held by hip-hop in the civil rights struggle of black people.

The sex toy trade is flourishing across South Africa as couples are increasingly relaxed with the idea of buying adult toys. The negative social stigmas around the adult toy industry seem to be slowly crumbling. Désir a luxury sex toy e-commerce store is recording month-on-month increases in the sales of couples’ sex toys, and the company says the sale of sex toys is now evenly balanced between both sexes, as the subject becomes more acceptable.

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they've traditionally had.

Violence of any kind is damaging. But violence in the home is doubly so since it should be a place filled with love and understanding – not fear and resentment. The ones who suffer the most are the children, as James narrates.

Break ups are hard; especially if you did everything you could in the relationship. This is doubly difficult for guys, who don’t know what to do with the negative emotion welling up inside. Is there a way past the pain?

“He did it in a classroom, the staff room and in his house”.
12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

The position of the aide has allowed politicians to dispense political favours to friends, fans and relatives, but surely there is a limit to the number of aides one politician can have, writes Anne Mucheke.

Doomsday clock, a magazine founded by the people who built the atomic bomb, say we will probably edge closer to annihilation when Donald Trump takes over as president. The danger is not just because of nuclear weapons, but climate change as well. In a letter to African leaders, Mukoma wa Ngugi argues that Africa can offer the world an alternative dream of peaceful and clean-energy egalitarian societies.

Humanity is facing its biggest challenges ever. More, not less, international cooperation is urgently needed. African nations could set an example for the world by sticking with the International Criminal Court.

Besides the United States, Zimbabwe is the only other country that uses the US dollar as its primary currency. But a new currency known as “bond notes” might be on the way to correct this anomaly, writes Kudzayi Zvinavashe.

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they've traditionally had.

Egyptian human rights advocate, Yara Sallam, stood up to be counted when Egypt's revolution was in full tilt and paid the price for it: fifteen months in prison. The prison spell did nothing to diminish her resolve and since her release last year, the outspoken activist has shown no signs of backing down from the fight to ensure that the powers that be uphold the human rights of every Egyptian. This Is Africa's Nancy Onyango caught up with Sallam on the sidelines of the recently concluded Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) forum in Brazil. She opened up about why some North Africans don't feel "African," her experience behind bars and why she thinks Egypt's revolution is far from over.

Amina Doherty is an African-Caribbean feminist and women’s rights advocate. Her work is centered on raising awareness for social justice through movement-building and innovative approaches to philanthropy. Her work takes many forms: art exhibitions, community programmes, cultural events and grant-making initiatives. She is committed to promoting justice and working towards social change through the intersection of art, culture and activism. Nancy Onyango caught up with her on the sidelines of the Black Feminisms Forum (BFF), held in Bahia, Brazil in September 2016 ahead of the 13th Association for Women’s Rights in Development forum. They talked about what it means to be a feminist, collective self-care and the importance of listening to each other’s struggles.

Since the rise of Boko Haram, the media have painted a picture of Borno State in Nigeria as a place of death and destruction. Photojournalist Fati Abubakar, however, is using social media to challenge perceptions about her hometown. In ‘Bits of Borno’, her acclaimed online photo series, she documents the resilience of ordinary people in difficult times. Enajite Efemuaye caught up with her to talk about the power of visual storytelling, her love for photographing children and what media attention means for her work.

In July 2016, Lidudumalingani became the first male South African writer to win the Caine Prize for African Writing with his story ‘Memories we Lost,’ published in the anthology Incredible Journey: Stories That Move You. Lidudumalingani is described on the Caine Prize website as a writer, filmmaker and photographer, born in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, in a village called Zikhovane. His winning story is set in a rural area and deals with schizophrenia. TIA’s Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire caught up with Lidudumalingani to talk about the Caine Prize, writing female characters, multi-media storytelling and the decolonisation of South African literature.

“He did it in a classroom, the staff room and in his house”.
12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

2016 has had numerous surprises, one being the shocking defeat of The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in the country’s presidential election by property developer Adama Barrow. Jammeh has been in office for the past 22 years, and few people would have predicted a Jammeh loss, let alone the Gambian leader conceding defeat with a smile on his face, and pledging to oversee a smooth transition. Despite the grand gesture by Jammeh conceding defeat, it’s even more surprising that African leaders who took to social media to congratulate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have been conspicuously silent in congratulating opposition leader Barrow. Could President-elect Barrow’s win be causing some jitters?

Today Tanzania celebrates its independence, attained on this day in 1961. We commemorate the 55th anniversary of the independence of Tanzania from British colonial rule. Happy Independence Day to our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.

The 5th Uganda Press Photo Awards were held last month to showcase and honour the work of talented Ugandan photographers. The awards are organised by the Foreign Correspondents Association of Uganda, and they are divided into seven categories: creative, daily life, nature, portrait, news, sport and story. Today we publish John Batanudde’s stunning photograph, voted the top image in the Sport Category, and the finalists of the section.

Talented Nigerian musician, Wizkid is in contention for a Grammy award for his role in U.S. rapper Drake’s 2016 album, Views, nominated for Best Album. Wizkid is the only Nigerian in contention for an award at the 59th Grammy’s. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a celebrated South African band received a nomination (Best World Music Album) for their album Walking In The Footsteps Of Our Fathers, and South African born fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout is also up for an award. A hearty congratulations.

The 5th Uganda Press Photo Awards were held last month, to showcase and honour the work of talented Ugandan photographers. The awards are organised by the Foreign Correspondents Association of Uganda, and they are divided into seven categories: creative, daily life, nature, portrait, news, sport and story. Today we publish Oscar Ntege’s beautiful and imaginative photograph, voted the top image in the Creative Category.

Biometric Voting in Zimbabwe, Putting the Cart Before the horse

By
Takura Zhangazha on March 11, 2016 — The avoided truth of the matter is that biometric voter registration or voting is not a panacea to arriving at a truly democratic electoral process. It gives an impressionable veneer of sophistry and technological advancement but does not replace the importance of the active citizen who casts their vote in free and fair political context.

The Minister of Justice, Emerson Mnangagwa recently told a Senate committee that government has legislated electoral reforms that take into account the intentions of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) with regard to introducing biometric voter registration and as a possible consequence, biometric voting. He also stated that government was consulting on how best the system can be managed especially if the equipment is acquired by the 2018 harmonised elections. To quote him directly, ‘If we reach elections when the biometric system and so on and technical persons are in place, we use it, if not we continue.”

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had in recent months indicated that it is seriously considering recommending the adoption of a biometric voter registration system. This is a voter registration system that relies largely on the use of digital technologies to identify voters using either their finger print or their iris (eye). It is also one component of at least three elements of biometric voter system. The others include the actual voting using biometric related technology such as computer touch screens to cast a vote. The final component would be the tallying and collating of electoral outcomes using electronically complied data and voters’ rolls.

For now, ZEC appears to be keen on the aspect of biometric voter registration only. That is if it gets money either from the state or donors.

Its statement of intent has received support from two election related organizations, namely the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and the Election Resource Centre (ERC). In their official statements in support of biometric voter registration and a consequential biometric voters roll, both organizations refer to the proposition as progressive. Understandably they both cite the problems that have been associated with a manual voter registration system and the necessity of a new updated and transparent voters roll. It would also appear that for these two organizations, the introduction of biometric technology would inevitably lead to a much more transparent and legitimate electoral process.

So barring the availability of resources to support it, biometric voter registration and possibly even actual voting is current government policy that merely awaits implementation. And it’s a herculean task by any measure.

It requires adequate telecommunications and electricity infrastructure that is not only reliable but will work with the greatest efficiency during an election period. Sadly where it has been used on the continent in at least 25 countries where it has been used, it has not worked in aide of democracy.

The relevant equipment such as finger print machines have tended to breakdown and delay voting processes or in some cases voters have had to revert to the manual system despite millions of dollars having been spent on the much vaunted biometric system.

And these vast amounts of money spent to support biometric voting tend to have supplier companies of the assumed high tech equipment and software smiling all the way to the bank while an entire country totters on the brink of civil strife.

There are also some contextual realities that must be considered in what should be a very public debate on this issue and new government policy.

Biometric voter registration and voting will definitely appear either complicated or suspicious to the ordinary voter. Not least because there is a general public perception that elections and their results are always tampered with by incumbents. Moreover due to the culture of violence, fear and coercion that informs electoral processes in Zimbabwe, asking for finger print or iris identification may not lead to greater voter confidence. Instead it may lead to the opposite or even be used to undermine free and fair electoral processes through threats to the voter, especially the more vulnerable one. Such threats will include those of using the technology to know exactly who has voted for whom and uncouth follow up action.

The avoided truth of the matter is that biometric voter registration or voting is not a panacea to arriving at a truly democratic electoral process. It gives an impressionable veneer of sophistry and technological advancement but does not replace the importance of the active citizen who casts their vote in free and fair political context. Even if this includes the simple act of walking into a polling station, producing your national identification and casting your vote without a computer’s assistance.

To be specific to Zimbabwe, the problem is not so much a technological one around the voting process. It is essentially about the political culture that informs elections and the public confidence that is lacking in the end result/s. Moving to electronic/biometric voting systems without first fixing the manual one is putting the cart before the horse. Especially in a country like ours where if elections were free and fair, national identification documents easier to access, trust in the electoral authority and security services was to be apparent, people would simply walk to the polling station, produce their national ID and democratically cast their ballots. And thus give organic meaning to our politics that is not mediated by a malfunctioning finger-print machine, computer or scarce electricity supply

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12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

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